Mêda requests declaration of state of emergency due to fire

Yesterday, the Mêda City Council asked the Government to declare a state of emergency in this municipality in the north of the Guarda district, in light of the "disaster" caused by the fires that broke out this week and are still burning.

"Mêda has been robbed of enormous forestry, winemaking, and agricultural potential. The government must declare a state of emergency for our territory and create direct support mechanisms for our farmers, business owners, and civil society in general," said the city's vice-president, César Figueiredo, in a statement to Lusa.

The fire entered the territory of the municipality of Meda on Wednesday, coming from the municipality of Trancoso.

Regretting that the municipality was 'forgotten' for three days, the mayor defended the need to quickly compensate those affected.

"Millions are invested in Civil Protection and we're left with the pennies, which is what we have now," highlighted the mayor, who is also a landowner and wine producer, adding that the City Council has already begun assessing the damage caused by the flames so that residents can be "quickly" compensated, "with objective, concrete support."

"People are fed up with subsidies, and politicians in Lisbon need to understand that these people need help now, because the future looks dire for many residents of Medeiros," he emphasized.

For, he lamented, “many people lost what they had accumulated throughout their lives, they were left with absolutely nothing, without vineyards, pastures, olive groves, animals, agricultural implements and other goods.”

César Figueiredo also added that, also due to the fires, the county seat was partially without electricity yesterday.

"There is no electricity in several parts of the city, and there have been more severe power outages in certain areas of Mêda," said the vice-president of the City Council.

According to the mayor, the municipality “burned down completely”, with the exception of a “very small” percentage, which is on the other side of the Main Route (IP) 2, which connects highway 25 to Pocinho, in Vila Nova de Foz Côa, in the Barreira area.

The outcome of these last few days, he added, is “completely devastating.”

Last night, the areas most affected by the flames were Longroiva, Fonte Longa, and near the town center, after threatening the historic village of Marialva.

"There is an active front towards the city of Mêda, another, very large, in the Fonte Longa area, which can continue to the municipality of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, and another in Longroiva, the area with the greatest wine potential in our municipality," specified the mayor.

The fire that broke out a week ago in Trancoso (Guarda district) later joined the fire that broke out on Wednesday in Sátão (Viseu district) and, on Friday, became a single fire, spreading to 11 municipalities in the two districts.

The 11 municipalities are: Sátão, Sernancelhe, Moimenta da Beira, Penedono and São João da Pesqueira (district of Viseu); Aguiar da Beira, Trancoso, Fornos de Algodres, Mêda, Celorico da Beira and Vila Nova de Foz Côa (district of Guarda).

The fires caused one death and several injuries, most of them not serious, and totally or partially destroyed first and second homes, as well as agricultural and livestock farms and forest areas.

Portugal has activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, under which two Fire Boss aircraft are expected to arrive on Monday to reinforce firefighting efforts.

According to provisional official data, as of August 16, 139,000 hectares had burned in the country, 17 times more than in the same period in 2024. Almost half of this area was consumed in just two days this week.

Yesterday, the Mêda City Council asked the Government to declare a state of emergency in this municipality in the north of the Guarda district, in light of the "disaster" caused by the fires that broke out this week and are still burning.

"Mêda has been robbed of enormous forestry, winemaking, and agricultural potential. The government must declare a state of emergency for our territory and create direct support mechanisms for our farmers, business owners, and civil society in general," said the city's vice-president, César Figueiredo, in a statement to Lusa.

The fire entered the territory of the municipality of Meda on Wednesday, coming from the municipality of Trancoso.

Regretting that the municipality was 'forgotten' for three days, the mayor defended the need to quickly compensate those affected.

"Millions are invested in Civil Protection and we're left with the pennies, which is what we have now," highlighted the mayor, who is also a landowner and wine producer, adding that the City Council has already begun assessing the damage caused by the flames so that residents can be "quickly" compensated, "with objective, concrete support."

"People are fed up with subsidies, and politicians in Lisbon need to understand that these people need help now, because the future looks dire for many residents of Medeiros," he emphasized.

For, he lamented, “many people lost what they had accumulated throughout their lives, they were left with absolutely nothing, without vineyards, pastures, olive groves, animals, agricultural implements and other goods.”

César Figueiredo also added that, also due to the fires, the county seat was partially without electricity yesterday.

"There is no electricity in several parts of the city, and there have been more severe power outages in certain areas of Mêda," said the vice-president of the City Council.

According to the mayor, the municipality “burned down completely”, with the exception of a “very small” percentage, which is on the other side of the Main Route (IP) 2, which connects highway 25 to Pocinho, in Vila Nova de Foz Côa, in the Barreira area.

The outcome of these last few days, he added, is “completely devastating.”

Last night, the areas most affected by the flames were Longroiva, Fonte Longa, and near the town center, after threatening the historic village of Marialva.

"There is an active front towards the city of Mêda, another, very large, in the Fonte Longa area, which can continue to the municipality of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, and another in Longroiva, the area with the greatest wine potential in our municipality," specified the mayor.

The fire that broke out a week ago in Trancoso (Guarda district) later joined the fire that broke out on Wednesday in Sátão (Viseu district) and, on Friday, became a single fire, spreading to 11 municipalities in the two districts.

The 11 municipalities are: Sátão, Sernancelhe, Moimenta da Beira, Penedono and São João da Pesqueira (district of Viseu); Aguiar da Beira, Trancoso, Fornos de Algodres, Mêda, Celorico da Beira and Vila Nova de Foz Côa (district of Guarda).

The fires caused one death and several injuries, most of them not serious, and totally or partially destroyed first and second homes, as well as agricultural and livestock farms and forest areas.

Portugal has activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, under which two Fire Boss aircraft are expected to arrive on Monday to reinforce firefighting efforts.

According to provisional official data, as of August 16, 139,000 hectares had burned in the country, 17 times more than in the same period in 2024. Almost half of this area was consumed in just two days this week.

Yesterday, the Mêda City Council asked the Government to declare a state of emergency in this municipality in the north of the Guarda district, in light of the "disaster" caused by the fires that broke out this week and are still burning.

"Mêda has been robbed of enormous forestry, winemaking, and agricultural potential. The government must declare a state of emergency for our territory and create direct support mechanisms for our farmers, business owners, and civil society in general," said the city's vice-president, César Figueiredo, in a statement to Lusa.

The fire entered the territory of the municipality of Meda on Wednesday, coming from the municipality of Trancoso.

Regretting that the municipality was 'forgotten' for three days, the mayor defended the need to quickly compensate those affected.

"Millions are invested in Civil Protection and we're left with the pennies, which is what we have now," highlighted the mayor, who is also a landowner and wine producer, adding that the City Council has already begun assessing the damage caused by the flames so that residents can be "quickly" compensated, "with objective, concrete support."

"People are fed up with subsidies, and politicians in Lisbon need to understand that these people need help now, because the future looks dire for many residents of Medeiros," he emphasized.

For, he lamented, “many people lost what they had accumulated throughout their lives, they were left with absolutely nothing, without vineyards, pastures, olive groves, animals, agricultural implements and other goods.”

César Figueiredo also added that, also due to the fires, the county seat was partially without electricity yesterday.

"There is no electricity in several parts of the city, and there have been more severe power outages in certain areas of Mêda," said the vice-president of the City Council.

According to the mayor, the municipality “burned down completely”, with the exception of a “very small” percentage, which is on the other side of the Main Route (IP) 2, which connects highway 25 to Pocinho, in Vila Nova de Foz Côa, in the Barreira area.

The outcome of these last few days, he added, is “completely devastating.”

Last night, the areas most affected by the flames were Longroiva, Fonte Longa, and near the town center, after threatening the historic village of Marialva.

"There is an active front towards the city of Mêda, another, very large, in the Fonte Longa area, which can continue to the municipality of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, and another in Longroiva, the area with the greatest wine potential in our municipality," specified the mayor.

The fire that broke out a week ago in Trancoso (Guarda district) later joined the fire that broke out on Wednesday in Sátão (Viseu district) and, on Friday, became a single fire, spreading to 11 municipalities in the two districts.

The 11 municipalities are: Sátão, Sernancelhe, Moimenta da Beira, Penedono and São João da Pesqueira (district of Viseu); Aguiar da Beira, Trancoso, Fornos de Algodres, Mêda, Celorico da Beira and Vila Nova de Foz Côa (district of Guarda).

The fires caused one death and several injuries, most of them not serious, and totally or partially destroyed first and second homes, as well as agricultural and livestock farms and forest areas.

Portugal has activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, under which two Fire Boss aircraft are expected to arrive on Monday to reinforce firefighting efforts.

According to provisional official data, as of August 16, 139,000 hectares had burned in the country, 17 times more than in the same period in 2024. Almost half of this area was consumed in just two days this week.